After 25 Years, Lt. Richard Curran Retires from REPD

Retired police officer, Lt. Richard Curran, received a plaque from the Mayor and Council at Monday's meeting for his 25 years of service to the Borough of River Edge. 

Curran has also served 30 years in the River Edge Fire Dpt., twice as Chief. During his term as fire chief, the department won the best overall trophy.  

He is the son John Curran, the Borough's first Democratic Mayor since its incorporation in 1894, who was later elected to the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders. 

During his tenure with the River Edge Police Dpt., Curran served as Community Policing Division Commander, vice-president of the Bergen County Traffic Officers Association, member of the River Edge Police Dpt. Hiring Committee and the founding member of the River Edge Police Honor Guard. He was also a member of the selection committee for the River Edge Board of Education in its superintendent search. 

Curran has received the following awards: Meritorious Award for a house fire; 1990 Honorable Service Medal from the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association; 1998 River Edge P.B.A. Meritorious Award for saving a life; and 2000 recognition award by Hackensack University Medical Center.

In addition to being a former P.B.A. president, Curran was also actively involved with the DWI, DARE and Adopt-a-Cop programs.

Mayor Sandy Moscaritolo recalled the day in 1999 when Chase Bank on Kinderkamack Rd. was robbed and Curran chased the suspect, who made his getaway into New Milford on a bicycle. With the assistance of Sgt. Curt Wilhelm, and Lt. John O'Malley from the New Milford Police Dpt., the suspect was arrested and found armed with a loaded weapon.

In thanking the Mayor and Council, present and past, Curran acknowledged former Mayor Bob Graillat who was in the audience, crediting him with reaching out to young men and women in River Edge in the late 1980's and encouraging them to become police officers with the goal of building retention. Graillat tapped the local talent of those who grew up in the community knowing that they would serve their community long and well. 

Curran was one of those tapped. In the late '80's, with a new baby, he was looking for a better paying job. A friend of his, police officer Tom Farrell, informed Curran that the police department was giving a test. One night after his shift, Farrell knocked on Curran's door, threw the application at him and told him to fill it out before pulling the door shut. The application was due back at the police department no later than noon the next day. Curran handed it in to Eddie McDermott at 11:55 a.m., barely making the deadline. 

"And here I am, 25 years later," he laughed. 

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